Cooling package for beverages and food



May 28, 1963 L. FERRANTE COOLING PACKAGE FOR BEVERAGES AND FOOD Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LOU/5 FEQEA/VTE ATTOE/VEY y 23, 1963 L. FERRANTE 3,091,091

COOLING PACKAGE FOR BEVERAGES AND FOOD Fild April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1061/5 FzSQE/INTE United States Patent 3,091,031 CGOLING PACKAGE FOR BEVERAGES AND FOOD Louis Fern-ante, 124 Amherst Road, Valley Stream, N.Y. Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 103,282 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-4) This invention relates to the art of refrigerating and heating packages and particularly concerns a novel package adapted to cool or heat a container of food or a loose quantity of food in solid or liquid form in one or more compartments in the package.

There have been heretofore proposed portable, lightweight chemical refrigeration packages consisting of inner and outer envelopes formed of fluid-tight sheet plastic material. A dry refrigerating material such as granular ammonium nitrate is disposed in the outer envelope and Water or other hydrous fluid is disposed in the inner envelope. When the package is to be activated, the envelopes are manually squeezed to rupture the fluid containing envelope to produce an endothermic chemical reaction which reduces the temperature of the fluid.

According to the present invention, the package including envelopes for dry endothermic chemical and activating fluid are provided with means which facilitates breaking of the wall isolating the inner envelope from the outer envelope. The package includes one or more compartments into which a beverage can be poured for instant cooling or heating. Alternatively, a container of beverage or food can be inserted into a compartment in the package for instant cooling or heating when the package is activated.

It is one object of the invention to provide an improved refrigerating package including inner and outer envelopes and means for opening the inner envelope by manipulation of buttons or handles at the outside of the package.

Another object is to provide a refrigerating package of the character described, wherein the package includes one or more compartments which can be filled with solid or liquid substances or containers thereof for cooling when the package is activated.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawlugs, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a sealing and quick opening means for the package taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing another sealing and quick opening means.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the sealing and opening means of FIG. 4, showing part of an inner envelope in partially opened condition.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 6 showing another sealing and opening means.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 83 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another package according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 1010 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 illustrat- 3&91 ,fi l Patented May 28, 1963 ing another form of the invention, taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an inner envelope showing opening means therefor.

FIG. 14 is a similar view to FIG. 9 showing another modified form of the invention.

In FIGS. 1-4 is shown a package '20 including an outer envelope 25 made of flexible plastic material. The envelope is generally cylindrical in form. Inside the envelope is a quantity of endothermic material 22 in granular form. Another and smaller generally cylindrical envelope 24 containing water or other hydrous liquid 19 is disposed inside the outer envelope. The inner envelope is preferably secured by heat sealing or the like to an upper corner portion of the outer envelope as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. The inner envelope has side walls 26, 28 sealed along a vertical seam 30. The seam is weakened at an intermediate point 32. On opposite sides of the walls 26, 28 at seam 30 are two buttons 34, 36. These buttons may be sealed or welded to the walls 26, 28 in facing disposition. The buttons have heads 38, 40 extending laterally outward toward the outer sides of the envelope 2%.

Integrally formed in the top of the outer envelope is a compartment 21 defined by a cylindrical reentrant portion 23 with closed bottom 27 and open top. A container C indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2 may be disposed in the compartment or a loose quantity of liquid or solid substance may be placed in the compartment. After cooling, the container can be removed or the loose contents of the compartment can be poured out. Further pulling apart of the buttons 34, 35 will cause the entire seam 30 to split open.

In order to activate the package 2d, the user will grasp the heads of the buttons 34, 36 through the walls of envelope 25 and pull the buttons 26, 28 at the weakened seam portion 32. This will open a hole in the inner envelope and the liquid 19 therein will pour out into the outer envelope where cooling of the liquid will result by reaction with chemical 22.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown another form of the invention, in which buttons 34*, 36 have respectively interfitting male and female portions 35, 37. A shank 38 extends through and seals a hole 35? in the seam 32 The seam is formed with a vertical slit 41 which is held closed by the interfitted elements 35, 37. When the buttons 34 36* are pulled apart as indicated in FIG. 6, slit 41 opens to form a hole 41 while the interfitted elements 35, 37 separate. The liquid 19 will pour out through hole 41 Further outward pulling of the buttons 34 36 will open the hole 4 1 still more until the entire seam 32* has been split.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, the side walls 26* and 28 of inner envelope 24 are integrally joined by a weakened vertical seam 30 Buttons 34' and 36' on opposite sides of the seam are disposed in axial alignment. When the buttons are pulled apart the seam 30 will open, pouring liquid 19 into the outer envelope 25*.

In FIGS. 9-11, there is shown another package 20 according to the invention in which two open top cylindrical compartments 50, 52 are formed by two reentrant cylindrical portions 51, 53 disposed in spaced positions on opposite sides of the envelope 25 Between compartments 5t), 52 i an envelope 55 containing a quantity of liquid 19 intended to react with the granular endothermic chemical 22 in envelope 25 The top of the inner envelope 55 is formed with a weakened seam 57 by juxtaposed heat-sealed sides 56, 58. The sides of the inner envelope 55 are extended outwardly as ribbons or straps 60, 62 which terminated in handles 64, 66. These handles are embedded in recesses 68 formed in the outer walls of envelope 25 The walls bulge outwardly at the recesses 68 so that the handles '64, 66 can be grasped and pulled outwardly to open the seam 57. After the seam is opened the liquid 19 will pour out and mix with the chemical 22. If desired, the package can be kneaded with the fingers to cause quicker mixing of the chemical 22- and liquid 19.

In FIGS. 12, and 13, the walls 26' and 28 of inner envelope 24 are formed with circular arrays ofthinned, weakened or scored lines 30 The buttons 34" and 36" are secured to walls 26', 28 centrally within the weakened or scored lines. When the heads of the buttons are grasped through the sides of the outer envelope and pulled in opposite directions circular portions P are torn away from the walls to form holes through which the liquid is released from the inner envelope.

The liquid .19, in all forms of the invention, may be water or other hydrous fluid, and either acid or alkaline.

While the invention has been described primarily in connection with an endothermic chemical reaction it will be apparent that the liquid 19 and chemical 22 can be selected toprovide an exothermic chemical reaction so that the package will serve to heat the contents of the compartments 21, 50, 52 instead of cooling them.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

'1. A refrigeration or heating package, comprising an outer closed flexible envelope, a closed inner flexible envelope within the outer envelope, said inner envelope being filled with a liquid, said outer envelope being 4 filled with a granular substance capable of reacting with the liquid to change the temperature thereof, said inner envelope having walls joined in a seam, a pair of buttons secured to said walls at said seam, said walls having thinned and weakened portions at the buttons, whereby the said portions are torn open when the buttons are grasped through sides of the outer envelope and are pulled apart in opposite directions to release said liquid from the inner envelope.

2. A refrigeration or heating package, comprising an outer closed flexible envelope, a closed inner flexible envelope within the outer envelope, said inner envelope being filled with a liquid, said outer envelope being filled with a granular substance capable of reacting with the liquid to change the temperature thereof, said inner envelope having walls joined in a seam, a pair of buttons secured to saidwalls at said seam, said buttons having interfitting separable elements, whereby the seam is opened to release said liquid when the buttons are grasped through sides of the outer envelope and we pulled apart in opposite directions to separate said elements, said outer envelope having a reentrant portion defining a compartment for receiving an article to be cooled or heated in said compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vance Jan. 24, 196 1 

1. A REFRIGERATION OR HEATING PACKAGE, COMPRISING AN OUTER CLOSED FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE, A CLOSED INNER FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE WITHIN THE OUTER ENVELOPE, SAID INNER ENVELOPE BEING FILLED WITH A LIQUID, SAID OUTER ENVELOPE BEING FILLED WITH A GRANULAR SUBSTANCE CAPABLE OF REACTING WITH THE LIQUID TO CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE THEREOF, SAID INNER ENVELOPE HAVING WALLS JOINED IN A SEAM, A PAIR OF BUTTONS SECURED TO SAID WALLS AT SAID SEAM, SAID WALLS HAVING THINNED AND WEAKENED PORTIONS AT THE BUTTONS, WHEREBY THE SAID PORTIONS ARE TORN OPEN WHEN THE BUTTONS ARE GRASPED THROUGH SIDES OF THE OUTER ENVELOPE AND ARE PULLED APART IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO RELEASE SAID LIQUID FROM THE INNER ENVELOPE. 